Grant Shapps has announced that the Government will not introduce the new set of Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) standards proposed for homes built with public funding or on public sector land.

These had been predicted to add £8,000 to the average cost of each new affordable home.

Instead, the Government will develop a new Local Standards Framework to replace the additional building standards and codes that have been attached to planning permissions. In the meantime, existing HCA standards, including the HQI system, Code 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and Building for Life requirements, will continue to apply to new affordable housing.

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In response to the announcement, Federation Chief Executive David Orr said: "The Federation and our members are committed to high building standards. Clearly 63% cuts in the capital budget for new homes and viability challenges will have implications for the specification of new homes. We look forward to working with Government to ensure that the new local standards framework reduces red tape and delivers high quality homes, as well as helping achieve the ambitious goal of all new homes being zero carbon by 2016."

(CD/KMcA)